Circuit controller



ma iax Oct. 20, 1959 Filed July 3, 1957 A. J. COLAUTTI CIRCUITCONTROLLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 58 e2 Fig.3 4

34 INVENTOR.

Albert J Ca/au/t/ H/s A Horney Oct. 20, 1959 A. J. COLAUTTI 2,909,624

CIRCUIT CONTROLLER Filed July 3, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2s 28 i 72 74 72i 8 I 1 7 22 I M & 54 74 so I 1 I 1 v k Fig. 5 i

INVENTOR. Albert J. Colau/f/ H/s Attorney Unit d Stat s P 2,909,624CIRCUIT CONTROLLER Application July 3, 1e51, Serial No. 669,744 1Claims. '(Cl. zoo-45 This invention relates to electric switches and ismore particularly concerned with a switch structure wherein a pluralityof actuators are maintained in a neutral posi tion by a single springmember.

-Itjis an object of the present invention to provide an improvedsimplified switch structure wherein a single spring and a single contactactuator will maintain an actuator in a neutral position.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a switchstructure wherein a plurality of slidable actuators are maintained inposition in a switch housing by a single spring'and single contactactuator.

. Another object of the present invention is to provide a switchstructure wherein a plurality of switch actuators which are slidable inparallel spaced recesses in the switch housing are constantly urged to aneutral position in the housing by asingle spring and a single contactactuating memberw, T. r f

A still further object of the present invention is to pro videia circuitcontroller structure wherein a plurality of separate switch elementseach disposed side by side in a row ina unitary housing, each have anindividual switch actuator that extends through. an opening in thehousing and is slidably -maintained in a neutral position in the housingby a unitary spring member and a unitary member which carries all-of themovable contacts of the switch and wherein the spring and contactcarrying members are both secured to a unitaryswitch base to prevent theswitch parts from rattling. Further, objects and advantages of thepresent invention wi 1l.beiapparentfrom the following description,reference being had to the accompanying drawingswherein preferred formof the invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

. Figure 1 shows a top plan view of the switch according to the presentinvention with aportion of the switch housingbroken away to show thearrangement of the internal parts of theswitch.

, Figure 2 is a cross-sectionalview taken along line 22 in Figure 1. f

Figure 3 is a view showing a major portion of the switch parts in Figure2 in a contact closing position.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the securement ofthe switch parts by a common terminal.

- twoparalle l isides of each otthe openings 28 are runners 30 which areformed of the material of the housing 22 and located as shown.

In Figure 5 of the drawings, a spring member 32, an

2,909,624 Patented oct zo, 1959 ICC g,

insulator 34, a movable contact support blade 36, and a nylon shoeinsulator 38 together with an insulating washer 40 are shown as securedto the base 20 by a common terminal member 42. These members are alsosecured at other points to the base by rivets 44 as shown in Figures1-3.

The spring member 32 is most clearly seen in Fig. 6 of the drawings.This spring member is formed of a single strip of spring metal and willconstantly urge the switch actuators or buttons 46 to a neutral positionin openings 28 as will become hereinafter apparent. The spring member 32has a mid-portion 48 secured to the base 20 by the common terminalmember 42 which extends through opening 50 and the rivets 44 whichextend through the openings 52. Disposed along the edges of themidportion 48 are the spaced extending arms 54. These arms are bentrelative to the midportion 48 to constantly engage the buttons 46 asshown in Figure 2. Extending between a portion of each of the arms 54and the midportion 48 arenotches 56. The portion of the notch 56 whichis disposed in the midportion 48 is sized to provide clearance betweenthe spring member 32 and the stationary contacts 58. The stationarycontacts 58 are secured in spaced relation to one another on the base 20and are located relative to the buttons 46 as shown in Figure 1. Each ofthe buttons 46 has a pair of spaced stationary contacts associatedtherewith.

The spring member 32 is insulated from the terminal 42 and the contactsupport blade 36 by insulating washer 40 and insulator 34. The contactsupport blade 36 is also formed of a unitary strip of metal to have acentral portion 60 from which the blade arms 62 extend. The centralportion 60'is provided with suitable openings to permit its securementto the base by the common terminal 42 and rivets 44. The blade arms 62are arranged to extend into notches 56 and each have a movable contact64 secured thereto which is arranged to engage one of the stationarycontacts of the switch when the arms 62 are pressed downwardly from theposition shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Figure 3.

The shoe insulator 38 is also provided with a central portion 66 whichis secured by the common terminal 42 and rivets 44 to the base 20.Extending upwardly from the central portion 66 are lugs 68 which arelocated as shown in Figures 1 and 4 and sized to provide a predetermineddistance between the top surface of the lugs 68 and bottomjsurfaceofftherunners 30. Branching outwardly from the central portion 66 and arrangedto embrace the top surface of each of the blade arms 62 of the contactsupport blade 36 are arm portions 70 most clearly shown in Figures 2 and3. These arm portions 70 will serve to electrically insulate the contactsupport blade 36 from the buttons 46.

The shape of the actuator buttons 46 is most clearly seen in Figures 2and 4 of the drawings. Each of the buttons has a handle portion 72 whichextends into openings 28. The portion, of the actuator disposed withinthe switch housing adjacent the handle portion 72 is provided withshoulders 74 which will slidingly engage the runners 30. The-actuator isalso provided with asurface 76 which will slidingly engage the topsurface of the lugs 68 to permit a sliding movement of the buttons 46inthe openings 28. Downwardly extending from the bottom surface of thebuttons 46 are extending lugs 78 which are in constant engagement withthe arm portions 70 of the shoe insulator 38. The shoe insulator 38 is'normally urged upwardly into tight engagement with the lugs 78 by theforce of the blade arms 62 to maintain the buttons .46 intightengagement with the runners 30 .and thereby prevent rattling of theswitch parts.

From the above it is apparent that when any one of the buttons 46 aremoved in either direction from the neutral position as for example movedto the left from the posi- 7 tion shown inFig. 2 to the position shownin Figure 3, one of the lugs 78 will ride upon an inclined surface 80 ofone of the arms 70 to force the proper blade arm 62 downwardly until theproper contact 64 engages the proper stationary contact 58 which isassociated with the terminal 82 to complete a circuit between the commonterminal 42 and one of the terminals 82. Thus, whenever any one of thebuttons 46 are moved in either direction from the neutral position, acircuit will be completed between the common terminal 42 and theterminal 82 toward which the button 46 was moved.

- In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the shoe insulator 38 isformed as a molded nylon part. This will provide a good bearing and wearsurface for the sliding movement of lug 78 on the arm portions 70. Thearms 54 of the unitary spring member 32 are arranged to engage each oneof contact actuators 46 to normally maintain the handles 72 inalignment.

While the forms of the invention as herein disclosed constitutepreferred forms, it is to be understood that other forms might beadopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In a circuit controller, the combination comprising; a base, morethan two stationary contacts carried by the base, a housing carried bythe base, at least two contact actuators slidably carried within thehousing, a spring formed of a single metal piece having integral armsarranged to engage opposite wall portions of said actuators to urge theactuators to a neutral position, a movable contact support formed of asingle metal piece urging the actuators into engagement with the housingand carrying a plurality of pairs of contacts which engage thestationary contacts whenever one of the actuators is moved from theneutral position.

2. In a circuit controller, the combination comprising; a base, a commonterminal carried by the base, more than two stationary contacts spacedfrom each other and from the common terminal on the base, a housingcarried by the base, at least two actuators slidably carried on thehousing, a spring formed of a single metal piece having integral armsarranged to engage opposite wall portions ofsaid actuators to constantlyurge the actuators to a neutral position in the housing, a supportcarrying a plurality of pairs of movable contacts formed of a unitarysheet metal piece urging each of the actuators into engagement with thehousing, said support being secured in electrical contact with thecommon terminal and arranged to cause engagement between any one of themovable contacts and any one of the stationary contacts whenever one ofthe actuators is moved in either direction from the neutral position.

3. In a circuit controller, the combination comprising; a base, ahousing secured to the base, at least two contact actuators slidablymovable in the housing, a spring formed of a single sheet metal partarranged to constantly urge each of the actuators to a neutral positionin the housing, more than two stationary contacts carried by the base, asupport formed of a unitary sheet metal piece carrying more than twomovable contacts and arranged to constantly urge each of the. actuatorsinto engagement with the housing, a common terminal member securing thespring and support to the base, and an insulator insulating said supportfrom said spring and insulatingsaid terminal member fromsaid spring.

4. In a circuit controller, the combination comprising; a base, ahousing secured to the base, at least two contact actuators slidablymovable in the housing, a spring arranged to constantly urgeeach of theactuators to a neutral position in the :housing', more than two spacedstationary contacts'carried by the base, a support carrying more thantwo movable contacts, said support being arranged to constantly urgeeach of the actuators into engagement with the housing, an insulatormember located between the support and actuators for-insulating thesupport from each of the actuators, a common terminal securing thespring, support and insulator member to the base, and a second insulatorinsulating said support from said spring and insulating said terminalmember from said spring. v

5. In a circuit controller, the combination comprising; a base formed ofinsulating material, a housing having at least two parallel recessestherein, an actuator disposed in each of the recesses in the housing, aspring form'e'd'of a single metal part engaging opposite walllmrtions ofsaid actuators and urging each of the actuators to a new tral positionin the recesses more than two spaced stationary contacts carried by thebase, a sheet metal support carrying more than two movable contacts,said sup port being arranged to constantly urge each of the actuatorsinto engagement with the housing, an insulator member located betweenthe support and actuators for insulating the support from each of theactuators, and acommon terminal securing the spring, support andinsulator member to the base.

' 6. In a circuit controller, the combination comprising; a base ofinsulating material, a housing secured to the base having at least twospaced parallel recesses and openings therein, an actuator disposed ineach of the recesses, and openings, a unitary spring having integralarms engaging oppositewall portions ofsaid actuators and urging each oftheactuators to a neutral position in the openings, more than twostationary contacts carried 'by the base, a support carrying more thantwo movable contacts, said support being arranged to constantly urge theactuators into engagementwith the housing, an insulating means formed ofa single piece of insulating material disposed between the support andeach of the actuators, and a common terminal securing the insulatingmeans, thesupport and the spring to thebase. 1

7. In a circuit controller, the combination comprising; a base formed ofinsulating material, a housing having a plurality of recesses therein,an actuator slidably disposed in eachof said recesses, a first unitarysheet metal member having integral arm portions engaging opposite wallsof said actuators for urging them to a neutral position in saidrecesses, a plurality of spaced stationary contacts carried by the base,a second unitary sheet metal member having integral arm portions eachcarrying an electrical contact that at times engages a respectivestationary contact, said arm portions of said second sheet metal memberconstantly urging saidactuators into engagement with the housing, aninsulator member located between the arm portions of said second sheetmetal member and actuators for insulating the second sheet metal memberfrom the actuators, a common terminal member securing the first sheetmetal member, second sheet metal member and insulator member to thebase, and a second insulator member insulating said first said metalmember from said second said metal member and insulating said commonterminal member from said first said metal member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,886,284 Luther Nov. 1, 1932 1,925,612 Snell Sept. 5,.1933 1,986,527Rach et a1. Jan. 1, 1935 2,633,510 Schellman Mar. 31, 1953 2,725,432Brown Nov. 29, 1955 2,785,255 Elliott Mar. 12, 1957 2,808,476 ElliottOct. 1, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 7 443,430 Great Britain Feb. 27, 1936

